After Frederick II died in 1250, there was trouble in Trani. In the next 300 years, there were wars between the Angevins, Aragon and Venice over who should rule Trani. The city became poorer and less important. Trani was almost destroyed during the French Revolutionary Wars at the end of the 18th century. Many people in the town were against the French Revolution. In March 1799, they rioted and killed many members of the city's most important families. When the French army saw this, they attacked the city on April 1, 1799. The army killed many people and burned Trani's buildings. Over 1000 people died in the riots and the French attack.[3]

Today, the main industries in Trani are wine-making, fishing, and mining. Trani is famous for a sweet wine called Moscato di Trani.[5] The grapes for this wine are grown in the Trani countryside. Fruit and olives for making olive oil are other important crops for Trani. There are mines for bauxite just outside the city.[6] There are also quarries for a special kind of rock called pietra di Trani (Trani stone). Trani has special factories for cutting this stone. Many buildings in Trani and in southern Italy are made from this stone. Trani stone was used to build the ports in Malta and Egypt.[7] Trani also has some small factories for making clothes and shoes.[8]

Palazzo Caccetta. This palace was built in 1456 by Simone Caccetta, a very rich man from Trani. It is built in the Gothic style. People from Venice used this palace in the early 1500s. At that time, Venice ruled Trani.[10]